Another year gone - the National Winter Ales Festival, Manchester's only CAMRA beer festival (if you don't count Stockport, Oldham, Bolton, Bury etc).  

My friends have reduced it to NWAF (pronouced "en-waff"( & I've just used the famous search engine to look up ENWAF & found;

National Welsh-American Foundation

Northwest Area Foundation

Northwest Autism Foundation

National Women's Aid Federation

Maybe I've found some charities for Manchester CAMRA to support & some places to place adverts for the beer festival.

On the beer list are a few I'm thirsting to try;

Great Gable, Liar - not only the most scenic brew pub in England but the brewer's assistant hold the title "World's Biggest Liar"!   Now you can't buy kudos like that.   Its not a very rational, scientific reason for trying this beer but then neither is buying one based on TV advertising.   Result: A reasonable pale mild, certainly neither strong in alcohol or bitterness.

Hobson's Mild - previously a Champion Beer of Britain & well deserved.   To brew a beer with so much character at 3.5% alcohol takes quite some skill.   Result: As ever, a fantastic dark mild with loads of roast maltiness.

Hopstar, Smokey Joes Black Bear - hopefully smoked or maybe just a little smokiness from playing around with the darker malts.   We'll see.   Result: Not available.

Kelham Island, Brooklyn Smoked Porter -  from a brewery who previously won Champion Beer of Britain with Pale Rider.   Mmmm, smoked beer.   I'm glad its not just the Americans & the Germans who are experimenting with this style.   Result: Not available.

Leydon, Black Pudding - a local brewery at the home of black puddings: Bury.   Not only to support local breweries but with a name like that, I just have to try it!   Result: Very disapointingly not available.

Otley, O Ho Ho & O8 - after tasting O-Garden I am really interested in this brewery.   O-Garden is a lovely beer with an amazingly fascinating taste.   I look forward to trying these.   Result: O Ho Ho was my 1st beer of the afternoon with a fruity subtle Belgian vanilla-candy floss taste.   O8 was similar but with more malty body - almost like the same beer just brewed to a different strength.   Both good stuff in the slightly peculiar way that Otley seems to brew beer.

Ulverston, Lonesome Pine - a favourite of mine in a bottle (even if it is a bit hit & miss with the quality control).   Result: It was on but I managed to miss it due to the sheer choice of other beers.

Woodlands, Super IPA - again, the name just entices me in.   Its like an IPA, but its Super!   Result: Not an American blow-you-away with hoppiness IPA, more of an understated malty, full bodied affair.

Bogart Waterloo Porter - a good roasty-malty dark porter from a local brewery.

Doghouse, Dozey Dawg - a pale, mellew, hoppy ale contrasting with all the heavier, darker beers.

Hebridean, Celtic Black Ale - a sweetish-malty black beer.

Robinsons, Dizzy Blonde - another light, blonde ale contrasting with the winter beer theme.

White Brewing, Chilly Willy - A beer far from home in Bexhill but in keeping with the winter, darker, stronger style.

I'm sorry I can't elaborate on the last few more or even remember the several others I drank but I was enjoying myself rather with a large group of friends.